Lok Sabha polls: Riding high on Modi wave; BJP seeks more seats in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: BJP leaders and party workers in Greater Hyderabad are riding high on the Modi wave. So confident are they of the outcome in the upcoming polls, they are exerting pressure on the party leadership to demand a lion’s share of Assembly and Lok Sabha seats in the ongoing alliance talks with Telugu Desam Party.

Of the total 15 Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad district, party cadres and leaders are demanding as many as 10 seats. They are also demanding that the BJP leadership insist on not only taking the Secunderabad and Hyderabad Lok Sabha seats but also the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat.

BJP Greater Hyderabad president B. Venkat Reddy told this correspondent that the “NaMo” wave would help the party in not only wresting back the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat but also give a tough fight to MIM in the Hyderabad Parliamentary seat. Currently, the BJP has only one MLA from the city, party state president G. Kishan Reddy representing Amberpet.

“We (BJP leadership) are under tremendous pressure from party cadre to contest from the Assembly segments of Amberpet, Musheerabad, Khairatabad, Secunderabad, Sanathnagar, Secunderabad Cantonment, Gosha Mahal, Karwan, Malakpet and Yakutpura. If the alliance with TD doesn’t work out, the BJP will contest from all Assembly and Lok Sabha seats in the city,” said Mr Venkat Reddy, adding that a final list of candidates and constituencies would be released shortly.

However, Telugu Desam Party workers are not happy with the party going in for alliances in every election. Last time, the TRS was an ally as part of “Maha Kutami” and the TDP had sacrificed many seats in the city.

“It is time that TDP leadership took a firm stand and not sacrifice winning seats in Hyderabad. How can the BJP ask Sanathnagar and Khairatabad? Let it have Chandrayangutta, Charminar and other seats in the Old City so that there is a check to MIM at every point,” said a TDP leader.